TLIG pilgrimage in Italy, 2015

God not known to be a God of Mercy and of power but of surprises as well? 11th October – Sunday As was done in previous pilgrimages, the first day’s program activity in Rome, right after breakfast, was the recitation of the ‘Our Father’ prayer sung in the Aramaic language. Then came the preparation for the procession of the hundred and four clergywho represented fifteen different Church denominations andwho had towalk in a procession, escorted by the organizers, Anne-Marie Peters and Theodora Konidari together with Vassula. Unfortunately David Armitage, another organizer, was not well and did not go to Rome. All of the clergy were dressed in full splendor and in diversity representing their own Church; it is a formidable sight to see how the Church of Christ can appear when all the shepherds are dressed in all their regalia, in all their splendor and in their diversity. One can compare the Church to a beautiful garden with all sorts of flowers, a rich variety of flowers. Everyone watching could not deny being touched while they watched, and here I would emphasize: to watch ‘The One and Unique Church, the One Mystical Body’, solemnly walking together in silence through the aisle as one body with a background tune of Kyrié Eleisson. When the clergy reached

ovation for him. Mgr. Laurentin could hardly finish introducing himself. It was not only because Mgr. Laurentin was the eldest of all the pilgrims, just over 98 years of age, totally blind and barely walking, but also because he has been heroically defending the Messages of True Life in God. He was (and is still) a staunch defender of Vassula’s apostolic mission. He has never missed any of our Pilgrimages, not one. When everybody again was seated, Vassula read out to us the so awaited Message of Christ and what He had to tell us in this significant gathering. And as I said above, it was again a clear and decisive Message that Christ was once again inviting his shepherds to reconcile and unite by showing a visible sign of Unity around one Altar. After hearing Christ’s message, there was a slight pause among all, so as to reflect on the Message, and then the first speaker was called to give his speech. It was not the first time that Archbishop Georges Haddad was at our pilgrimages. He belongs to the Melkite Church, living in Lebanon. He had in the past invited Vassula to give a talk to his congregation in Lebanon. His speech was based on the words of the Heavenly Father saying that God has a special plan for each one of us and that we can only know Him through the Holy Spirit and the Truth. In fact, this is what Jesus has been asking us in the Messages of True Life in God: “come and get to knowMe and understand Me…” and that He would be greatly disappointed were we to die without having known Him…He continued by saying that Salvation is theDoorwhichopens into theHeavenly

the podium, each one of them in turn introduced himself and the church to which he belonged, while a great thunder of applause was heard with cheers. When it came to Mgr. René Laurentin’s turn to introduce himself, there was a sudden louder uproar of acclamation, thundering the assembly hall with cheers, with a standing

Father through Jesus and that the Holy Spirit makes the Unity of the Church, through the diversity of people, their culture, their personalities and their countries. He concluded his speech with a prayer of repentance that we all prayed together. Coptic Orthodox Liturgy celebrated by Bishop Athanasius Canepa (Bishop of all France, the French Coptic Orthodox Church)